RT Book, Section
A1 Pfennig, Camiron L.
A1 Brown, B. Ethan
A2 Knoop, Kevin J.
A2 Stack, Lawrence B.
A2 Storrow, Alan B.
A2 Thurman, R. Jason
SR Print(0)
ID 1181053094
T1 Synovial Fluid
T2 The Atlas of Emergency Medicine, 5e
YR 2021
FD 2021
PB McGraw-Hill
PP New York, NY
SN 9781260134940
LK accessmedicine.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1181053094
RD 2024/04/16
AB Synovial  fluid  normally  appears  colorless  or  straw  colored  (see  Fig.  25.55),  viscous,  and  stringy.  Arthrocentesis  is  performed  in  patients  with  a  joint  effusion  or  suspicion  for  joint  inflammation  or  infection.  Fluid  can  appear  transparent  (normal),  translucent  (mild  inflammation),  opaque  (purulent  inflammation),  or  bloody  (traumatic  tap,  trauma,  or  bleeding  disorders).  Synovial  fluid  is  normally  viscous  due  to  high  levels  of  hyaluronic  acid.  These  characteristics  make  a  long  “string”  when  a  drop  of  normal  fluid  is  expressed  from  a  syringe.